Where To Eat and Drink in Takoma Park

Locals have long known what other area diners are just figuring out: Takoma Park — the town of bungalow homes, eclectic street art, and free composting — has a downtown food scene that is quietly expanding. And local, funky, and eclectic tend to be what suits this neighborhood best.

When Starbucks wanted to come to Carroll Avenue, one of Takoma Park’s main thoroughfares, residents initially balked, lobbying to keep the community filled with independent operators.

Takoma Beverage Co.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this family-run coffee shop/bar serves gourmet fare including fried pork belly, tartines, and meatless meatballs alongside more traditional salad and sandwich options. Don’t miss the Harper Macaw hot chocolate, made in house with 67 percent cocoa drops straight from D.C.’s own chocolatier. Also worth trying: the Takoma Breakfast sandwich featuring poached egg, apple butter, country ham and cheddar cheese. Co-founder Chris Brown, a former science teacher at Montgomery Blair High School, has trained former students to serve as baristas, while his partner, cousin and Northside Social alum, Seth Cook, instructs staff about the particulars of good coffee-, tea-, and espresso service.